David Vinhas: “Rodrigo Pinheiro was the hero, he could be at FC Porto…” | OneFootball

Rodrigo Pinheiro experienced a moment of huge prominence at the Dragão, stopping, near the end, a Porto win that seemed to be on track and sparking Famalicão’s celebrations at one of the toughest grounds in the country. The right-back, who is enjoying a high-level season, scored his third goal of the campaign, but also became the target of unwanted noise on social media, feeling first-hand the reaction of some less cordial fans toward any athlete’s professionalism. With a long connection to FC Porto through the youth ranks and a highly regarded reputation, the defender has established himself at Famalicão and dispelled doubts about his competitive ability.

Someone who understands this delicate moment well is David Vinhas, a friend and former teammate at Vitória and FC Porto, from the youth teams to the B side. The current U. Santarém centre-back praises the Famalicão defender’s development. “He has been very good in these last two years; anyone who knows him is aware of his quality on the right or the left, of how comfortable he is on either side. He is very adaptable and reads the game well,” he says, trying to push back against the unfairest criticism that ended up hitting a player in the middle of fully establishing himself. “This goal makes anyone who crossed paths with him happy, because he is going through a great spell individually and collectively. But it also hurt me a bit and it was painful for the fans. But that’s football—he spent many years at FC Porto and gave everything for the club. He had to leave to live another chapter,” explains Vinhas, former captain of the Dragons’ under-19s, stressing the “heat of the game” in the way he views the incident. “It was very hard-fought and he celebrated naturally, especially because the team is on a great run. Some think he disrespected the stadium. But no, only some more upset fans took it out on him. If the game hadn’t been so heated, maybe he wouldn’t have celebrated so emphatically; it’s not something that can be used to condemn a player. The great season he has been having deserves emphasis,” he argues.

The praise comes naturally. “FC Porto fans recognize his quality and, deep down, would like to see him return one day. He could be a great addition, on the right or the left, just like Martim Fernandes. He would add a lot and would be very welcome,” he says, trying to frame what was both celebration and drama, depending on the shirt. “He was his team’s hero and it must have been a unique feeling. Happy for his team, while knowing he could be at FC Porto if he had had other opportunities. Famalicão, as we’ve seen, was the best thing that could have happened to him, especially because of its commitment to young players,” says David Vinhas, describing a player with ambition for bigger things. “Rodrigo is an extraordinary person and on the pitch he has the great quality of linking up with his teammates, especially with the winger and the inside midfielder on his side. He combines brilliantly, drives inside and can also appear on the outside, and is useful in one-twos as well. He has improved a lot defensively and has handled the league’s wingers well. He completely shut down Pietuszewski.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.